Batman shooting survivor recounts how he escaped killing spree

As 11 of the 70 people injured in a Colorado movie theatre shooting rampage
during a screening of the new Batman film remain in critical condition, one
survivor recounts how he survived the rampage.

11:52AM BST 21 Jul 2012

Survivor Stephen Parton, a resident of the state of Connecticut, was biking cross-country with a friend when the pair stopped in Aurora to catch the premiere of the latest Batman movie.

Mr Parton was wounded in the shooting and he recalled the tragic events while admitted to hospital in bed.

"I'd say about 20 minutes into the movie, at around 12:30, there was sort of a solemn moment in the movie and a canister sort of type thing – I thought it was a firework at the time – I guess it was a gas canister, kind of flew across the screen and landed kind of in front of me and to the side.

"The people there started to get out of their seats and start moving. And them, from the bottom right from where I am sitting, from the bottom right corner of the theatre, there started being the muzzle flash of the gun. At the time, I thought it was still fireworks. And then I got it here (pointing at lower shoulder and chest) and I realised it was something much more serious. And people started screaming. There was a lot of chaos."

"So I ducked down with my friends who I was there with and we were there ... I don't know, he probably fired off about 25 rounds, I don't know, it is tough to remember. And when it finally stopped, I got up and there were a lot of people rushing for the back left exit and I just joined them."